Court rejects Senthil Balaji’s plea to postpone hearing

Madras principal sessions Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by former DMK minister Senthil Balaji, which sought to defer the trial in a money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) presented its case before the Madras High Court, opposing the bail plea of former Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Senthil Balaji, who was arrested last year in connection with a money laundering case. Balaji's arrest stemmed from his alleged involvement in a cash-for-job scam reported by the Central Crime Branch of Chennai during his tenure as the transport minister under the previous AIADMK administration.
According to ED sources, Balaji resigned from his ministerial position on February 12. 
The ED contended that Balaji's claim of being detained for an extended period was baseless and asserted that granting him bail could potentially lead to witness intimidation, thereby impeding the investigation.
Balaji's brother, Ashok Kumar, also an accused in the case, remains at large. The ED refuted Balaji's assertion of tampering with documents, emphasising the need for a speedy resolution of the case and urging the court to dismiss his bail application.
During the recent hearing in the Madras High Court, arguments were presented on behalf of the ED, which asserted that it had lawfully acquired all relevant documents from the special court. The case has been adjourned until Wednesday to allow Balaji's senior counsel, Aryama Sundaram, to submit a response. Meanwhile, the Madras Principal Sessions Court rejected Balaji's plea to postpone the ED case hearing.